There are an increasing number of network environments where Network Resource access infrastructure is operated independently of the Billing Service Provider that maintains the accounting/billing relationship with the Network Resource User. This happens especially in the unregulated wireless network access spectrum (e.g. 802.11a/b/g, etc.) where a growing number of Users of wireless-capable Devices are accessing the Internet via independent ‘wireless hotspot’ operators who, in turn, have authorization and settlement arrangements with the Users' Billing Service Providers. Where the User has no direct commercial relationship with the wireless hotspot operator, these arrangements are often known as ‘roaming agreements’. Whenever a User accesses the Internet via a wireless hotspot, the hotspot's operator (or their equipment) is usually responsible for sending Network Resource Usage Statistics to the Billing Service Provider, detailing information such as identity of the User, date/time of initial connection, type of Network Resource used, length of time connected, amount of data transferred, etc., so that the Billing Service Provider may charge the User correctly and also remunerate the hotspot operator for use of their Network Resource access infrastructure. Although most of this accounting is carried out automatically, using standard Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) protocols such as RADIUS (RFC 2865/2866) and DIAMETER (RFC 3588) and accounting protocols such as CRANE (RFC 3423), CIBER, TAP and IPDR (ipdr.org), which include provision for encrypted data transfer, it remains possible for the hotspot operator to manipulate their system (through software and/or hardware modifications) so that Network Resource Usage Statistics are exaggerated in their favour (e.g. by inflating the reported amount of data transferred, overstating the length of connection or misreporting the type of resource used, etc.). This is a serious issue because it is almost impossible for the Billing Service Provider to detect fraud of this type using present standards and technologies. The Billing Service Provider is almost entirely limited to carrying out audit-style spot-checks to try to detect any inaccurate reporting. Even assuming such spot-checks can be carried out without detection as such, they are costly to undertake and prone to miss many cases of inaccurate reporting, particularly where it is not constant. The Network Resource User is also extremely unlikely to notice any discrepancy unless the fraud is egregious and the User is able to check against any connection logs that may have been created by their Device. The potential for fraud becomes far more serious as an ever increasing number of Network user device Users access chargeable Network Resources via Access Gateway Operators who are independent of their Billing Service Providers.